Friday, March 25, 2011

Yung Kee Restaurant at #32 Wellington St., Central District of Hong Kong is famous in many tourist guide books. Having been in the food business since 1942 after almost 3 generations, it is an institution to this modern Asian city. With a Michelin star under its belt, and having been voted to no. 12 as Best Asian Restaurant in Miele Guide 2010, I decided to give them a try. The photo below is their display window of roasted meats, while the restaurant's entrance is on the right side.

Monday, March 21, 2011

A lesser-known tourist attraction in Hong Kong is the Noonday Gun at Causeway Bay. Its just walking distance from MTR station using D1 exit, passing thru subway carpark areas of World Trade Centre and Excelsior Hotel.

During the 1800s, the Jardines company gives a gun salute to the Jardines' head known as Taipan, whenever he arrived or left Hong Kong. One time however, a new senior naval officer was annoyed at this practice, and as a penalty he ordered the company to fire a Noonday Gun as a time signal for Hong Kong. It has been the practice until this day 365 days a year, except during the World War II period in 1941-1946.

Hong Kong is a very modern and efficient city compared with Manila. Most buses have double decker design for bigger capacity. They accept coin payments (exact fare, no change) and their admirable Octopus card system here.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

If ever you need a good restaurant stopover along the stretch of Pangasinan to La Union/Baguio, I recommend Matutina's Seafood Restaurant in Urdaneta, Pangasinan. They have 2 branches in that city, though our group tried the one nearest to the city proper.

The ambience is very Filipino, also with lots of wooden furnishings. The food is also good at very reasonable price, which explains the huge turnout of diners. We really got a value-for-money meal at Matutina, than our very disappointing experience at the open-air food kiosk in Camp John Hay.

The Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral in Baguio is also famous among the local tourists, owing to the country's large population of Roman Catholics. It could be easily found along the stretch of Session Road going uphill. Its location is a former settlement camp of the native Ibalois in the late 1800s.

Construction of the cathedral was started on 1920 by phases, then completed on 1936 thru the efforts of then parish priest Fr. Florimono Carlu. Good thing that it had survived the carpet bombing of Baguio during the American-Japanese war in 1945, as it doubled as evacuation center of the civilian population.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

After watching the Panagbenga's flower float parade, we went to Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Loakan Road prior to having our lunch in Camp John Hay. Out of my estimated 8 trips to Baguio, I think this is only the second time that I've been to PMA's fort camp, named after the young Gen. Gregorio del Pilar of the famous Tirad Pass during our forefathers' war with the American colonizers.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Our first meal outside the home of our gracious host in Baguio is at Solibao Restaurant in Burnham Park. We are looking for a near and inexpensive place for all 14 of us in the group, and our boatman recommended this casual restaurant serving Filipino food.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

My family and some friends came to Baguio City last 25-27 February to see the 16th Panagbenga or Flower Festival. It is the local counterpart of the Rose Parade in California. The parade of 22 floats is the highlight of the two week-long celebration. For most of us, its our first time to see the parade in person.

Unfortunately, we arrived late so I did not get front row position, and missed the floats of Baguio City and Camp John Hay. Estimated expense per float is at least Php 300k, due to the volume of flowers that each participant use. Camp John Hay grows their own flowers to use for the event, and they are excluded from the contest since they are Hall of Fame awardee. 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit, hence there are many floats with rabbit figures.

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